"National Parks Pass"
 

Does anyone have any good or bad experience with this purchasing this pass? <BR><BR>How about the "Golden Eagle" sticker?<BR><BR>Do they cover camping fees as well as admission?<BR><BR>Is there a Web site that gives details?<BR><BR>Thanks!

go to www.nationalparks.org<BR><BR>will have all the info you need. I haven't used the pass myself, but it sounds like a wonderful deal. <BR>enjoy.

I've used the pass that good for 1 year - it costs $50. I've recently been to Zion, North Rim Grand canyon, Bryce, Yellostone, and it seems to me the fee is $20 at those parks. Depending on where you're going it's cost effective. It only covers admission. The Golden Eagle is for those over 55(?). You can buy the passes at most national parks. Info on them is at the national park website: www.nps.gov

For full info on the four kinds of passes, go to<BR><BR>www.nps.gov/parks/passes_fees_2000.htm.old<BR><BR>The National Parks Pass covers admission (ONLY) to all sites of the National Parks Service.<BR><BR>The Golden Eagle Pass covers these same admissions and also admissions to OTHER federal sites (National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, Army Corp of Engineers).<BR><BR>The Golden Age Pass covers admission for these, and is available to US citizens over the age of 62.<BR><BR>The Golden Access Pass covers admission for these, and is available to US citizens legally certified as disabled.<BR><BR>Any can be obtained at any fee area of the National Parks Service.<BR><BR>I have used the Golden Eagle Pass and found it one of the best bargains in the world. For less than the cost of one day at an amusement park, you get a year of admissions to the most wonderful places in the USA.

Bought a National Park Pass in Sept. 00; used it for our (me &amp; DH in one car) admission to Arches, Canyons in the Sky, Needles, Capitol Reef, Bryce and Zion, then turned around in May 01 and used it at North Rim, Zion, Bryce, and Arches for me, DH, FIL &amp; MIL (one car) An awesome bargain for $50, I'd say.

<BR>Cool -- we'll go for it.<BR><BR>As always, thanks a mill Fodorites!

Does having a Park Pass ahead of time save time entering the park? Do you have to enter the park to see any part of the Grand Canyon? What about if you're staying at one of the lodges, like Kachina; does that require paying an admission fee into the park?<BR><BR>Thanks

Kevin, having the pass saves a bit of time in that you don't have to go into your wallet or get change. You must show your driver's license with it, however, so have that ready. You pay even if you are staying in the park. Generally, you have to be in the park to see it. You can see some of the less impressive far western area of the canyon from a distance on Rte 66 heading towards Kingman, I believe.

I was told that there is a separate lane for people holding passes. does anyone know if this is true or not?

Sorry; no separate lane for pass holders. Regular admission prices vary from free (Navajo Nat'l Mon) to $20 at the larger Parks and usually is good for seven days. If you are going to several Parks, the Pass ($50 per year) is a great deal.

A bit of advice: if you order through the NPS web site, allow plenty of time. I discovered the new pass shortly before we leaving on a big cross-country trip, and had just enough time to get one if I paid the extra $9 or so to get it within five business days. This is a government agency, though, so that really means five business days plus however long it takes us to get around to your order. <BR>The pass is apparently sold at every major park entrance; IMHO, you should skip getting one ahead of time and just buy it at the first park you come to.

There IS a separate lane for Parks Pass holders. I used it last month. It saved some time, but it wasn't very busy when I arrived ( a Wed. early afternoon). I think it would save a lot of time on weekends, Mondays, when people are just arriving for a week of vacation.

There was a separate lane when we went to the Grand Canyon. It saved us quite a bit of time since there were 6-8 cars in the other lane. All pulling out money, etc. We also used ours at one of the cliff dwellings on the way to the Grand Canyon. We decided to stop and were surprised to find that it was a National Park location.